


ugh

by emiOCs (emifail)



Series: CASCADE: Missed Connections [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Awkward Boners, Cuddling & Snuggling, Embarrassment, Intoxication, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Neck Kissing, Unrequited Crush, Vampire Bites, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-27 00:31:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20751347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emifail/pseuds/emiOCs
Summary: What Talmage was actually thinking: do I get in bed with this dude right now? Obviously the answer is yes ... but is that therightanswer?





	ugh

**Author's Note:**

> the title has nothing to do with the fic it's just my current mood
> 
> warnings for uhhh the general vibe of an intoxicated person coming on to a sober person (there's no boning or implied boning but there's build up to it)

"_I'm coming with next time._"

\---

It's spontaneous again.

Okay, maybe not entirely spontaneous. A few days in between, same time of day; though it's hard to call a pattern what's only on its third occurrence. Ares tends to ask right after a big event - _god, why do they always get into so much shit?_ \- and it's typically while everyone is winding down. Is it nerves? Is he actually hungry or does he just do it to calm himself? At least he has the decency to apparently schedule this shit and not just ... go wild.

What's he like ... unhinged?

Ares as a concept is a morbid curiosity of Talmage's, but he'll have to continue analyzing his patterns ... another night, maybe. He's getting distracted.

Talmage watches - yeah, he's watching, it's a little hard _not_ to - as Ares goes to town on Luci's neck. They're behind a random caravan again, Ares at least having the decency to lead Luci away from the others, but not being so hospitable as to go anywhere with any real _cover_. At least it was dark out - not that it did much to hinder _Talmage's_ view.

Honestly, he’s still having a hard time processing what he’s seeing. He had mentally prepared as much as one can; but that was for some quick wrist action. Not whatever _this_ is. Hadn't Luci said _wrist_ the other times? He'd figured it would take at least a little while longer for Luci to put together if _that_ felt good, _this_ would feel even better ... but maybe the comment Talmage made the other night inspired him--?  
  
Luci starts making soft, breathy noises - he's obviously trying to be quiet, but it's pointless competing with the awkward silence surrounding them, and Talmage can't fucking concentrate. The only other sounds are the circus folk in the distance, some vulgar suckling, and Talmage's own breathing. Ugh. He can't even see Luci's face from this angle, and it's driving him a little crazy; but how weird is he allowed to be right now? This whole situation is already weird ... is watching really going to make it that much weirder? Also, fuck, Luci had only made a _little_ bit of noise last time, not that Talmage had really _been_ there for it, but this is getting ... super fucking erotic, right?

Suddenly, Ares grips Luci hard, pulls him closer, and Luci lets out a cry.

Talmage is moving, before he can even think, to make sure Ares isn’t fucking _killing_ the guy. It quickly becomes apparent that he's _not_ \- Talmage realizes he isn't sure what he would do if he was - but now he has a better view of--

Luci’s got a hand gripped on the back of Ares' head, fisted in his hair - the other crushed between them, twitching near his own stomach like he wants to touch himself but is holding back, and Talmage thinks, _oh, my god, I should _not_ be watching this but if I leave right now I will regret it for the rest of my _fucking_ life_  
  
As if sensing his panic, Luci's half-lidded eyes make it to Talmage's and his heart lodges itself in his throat. Luci looks so, so, so ... _stupid_ and so _slutty_, close your mouth _idiot_, and Talmage has to look away and dig his fist against himself.

This goes on for _minutes_. Talmage isn't sure when he should intervene. He's trying to keep track of time, trying to compare it to their last interaction_; _but everything is hazy, and if Luci's still conscious enough to be making _those_ noises ... then he's probably fine? And it doesn't sound like he's having a _bad_ time.  
  
Talmage is a disaster by the time Ares pulls away - too flustered to move, but not enough to miss the way Luci's hand lingers in Ares' bright red hair. This holds his attention until the idiot is suddenly being discarded into his arms. Talmage sputters angrily and Ares mumbles something about needing to go and "his problem now," before hurrying away, red-faced. (But that was the blood, right?) And now Talmage is here, supporting Luci's weight, wondering what the fuck he's supposed to do next.

\---

He leads Luci to bed - considers dropping him off with Gidley, but not ready to face them in this state. Also ... fuck that, Luci is _his_ problem now. His incredibly lethargic and handsy problem, so blitzed out that their interactions feel excruciatingly intimate. He keeps absentmindedly gripping Talmage's hair, running his fingers down his bare side, leaning his head far too close. Talmage is thankful once they reach the privacy of their caravan. Normally, it would be funny; but he thinks he might die if anyone caught them like this. He briefly entertains Wyn's reaction to seeing them, but quickly shakes the clown from his mind. The fact that he might already be watching is _not_ comforting.  
  
Inside, Talmage fishes for a topic to keep Luci alert. He pushes on the first thing that comes to mind - the bite. Neck vs wrist? Which is better? Which-- okay! Maybe not the best topic! But when has Talmage been good at easing into conversations? Also, there's no way in hell Luci would talk about this after tonight, so _now_ is his only chance.

But, "_Fuck_ ..." is Luci's immediate response, complete with a wistful sigh. "_Like_, I thought the _wrist_ was cool, but ... _woah_, man ... I almost didn't tell him to stop ..."  
  
Talmage turns a furious red. _He's _supposed to be the one making crude comments, not the other way around ... when did he become such a wuss? What the fuck? Is he _blushing_?

"You _didn't_ tell him to stop," Talmage corrects, messily preparing Luci's bed while also making sure the guy doesn't topple over. He's leaning against Talmage, bobbing with his movements.

"_Mmm_," he agrees, nuzzling his head into Talmage's arm. Talmage feels like there's a fucking rock lodged in his windpipe. He desperately needs to throw himself off a cliff.

He zones out for a moment, feeling the rise and fall of Luci breathing against him. Honestly, the bed shouldn't take this long to prepare; it's a fucking sleeping bag. But Talmage is panicking. And he may have just combined his own bed with whoever had been sleeping next to him. Sorry, Rocco. 

He slips out to steal three pillows from others (they can go ask Gidley for more) and returns to Luci lying on his side, half on the blankets and half on the wooden floor. He's still awake, judging by the dopey grin on his face.

"Alright, alright," he chides, easing Luci up and guiding him to his luxury sleeping arrangement. "Use the actual pillows, idiot." Luci giggles, and Talmage desperately needs to hear it again.

"I'm _fine_, Talmage," Luci insists.

"I didn't say you _weren't_."

"But you were _thinking_ it ..."

"Believe me, that is _not_ what I was thinking."

What Talmage was actually thinking was: do I get in bed with this dude right now? _Obviously_ the answer is yes, right? Right?

Or does he go jerk off and come back to Luci totally conked out, losing this prime opportunity to ... probably just _cuddle_ honestly, since Luci doesn't seem very capable of much else right now. Or does he leave him to sleep alone because-- he doensn't want to take _advantage_ of the guy-- but is _cuddling_ really_ taking advantage_?? Ask him, idiot! _You could just ask him!_ But he's about to pass out, so does it even matter what he says? Consent or some shit? Holy shit, this is exhausting.

Luci tugging on the ribbon around his neck snaps him out of his internal argument. The guy is technically in the bed, head resting on the bounty of pillows Talmage collected for him, but he's got one leg under the blanket and the other kicked out on top. He's still wearing his leggings. They might be difficult to remove. Just a note.

"_Talmage_," Luci mumbles, pursing his lips.

"... Yeah?" Oh god, oh fuck. He looks so god damn cute.

"_Talmaaage_," Luci mumbles again, whinier this time. He tugs once more, and the ribbon comes loose. Talmage's brain shuts down.

"That's mine," he says weakly. Luci grins wider and holds the ribbon up to his face.

"Come get it then," he teases. Despite Luci's playfulness, Talmage can tell he's still being ... shy, even through ... whatever this is. His blood-loss haze.

Talmage simply plucks the ribbon from Luci's gentle grip. Luci blinks, taking a moment to register the easy theft, and pouts.

"_Talmage ..._" he whines again, turning his face to mumble into one of the pillows. Talmage is going insane.

"_What?_" he says; soft, but exasperated. "What do you want?"

_Please, god, just tell me so I don't have to keep guessing, and maybe so I can feel a little better about getting into bed with you._

Luci mumbles further into the pillow, wiggling his legs.

"Do you want me to lay here with you?" Talmage asks, feigning nonchalance. He feels like he's going to explode. Luci responds by curling in on himself, mumbling even further into the pillow.

"What was that?" Talmage asks again, soft but teasing. He's already taking off his over-shirt.

And Luci tilts his head slightly, enough that Talmage can hear a quiet, "_If you want ..._" They lock eyes as he discards the sheer cloth.

Luci might be pissed in the morning, but it won't be the first time Talmage woke to Luci yelling at him.

\---

It's nice - don't get him wrong. The speed at which Talmage's heart is racing, however, has started to worry him. He hopes Luci can't tell. Or maybe he does? He has no idea what he wants.

He had obviously caved - Talmage never claimed to be a _great_ guy - but he'd been decent enough to kept his pants on, and Luci was still fully-clothed. As soon as he'd breached the bed space, Luci had perked up, poorly hiding a smile. Talmage could barely look at him.

Now, he has his head resting on Talmage's chest, heart_ thump thump thumping _beneath it.

"So--" Talmage begins, right as Luci starts his own, "This is--" and they both stop. And wait.

"... Hm?" Luci says. Talmage shakes his head.

"Nothing, I don't know." He laughs, feeling stupid and helpless. Luci makes an amused noise.

Talmage glares daggers into his own right hand, which is currently hover-handing Luci in plain sight._ Disgusting. Get your shit together. This is nothing. You've held this fucker's hand, like, a million times already._Granted, those were all for strategic purposes, but--

"It was really, _um--_" Luci starts, but pauses.

"Hm?" Talmage pushes, fearful for what conversation Luci might want to have, but thankful for a break in the silence. He finally, determinedly, lets his hand rest on Luci's head, lightly scratching through his soft hair, hoping to ease something out of him. Luci sighs contently.

"_Different_," he mutters, letting his eyes fall closed.

"Hm?"

Luci is quiet for a moment. Talmage wonders if he had fallen asleep.

"_\--weird_," Luci suddenly, says, as if completing a sentence he had started in his head. "It felt, weird, on my wrist? Didn't even hurt after, I think it hurt _during,_ but I don't really remember it ..."

"Has it--" Talmage swallows, unsure what to do with that. "Has it healed? Do you need--" But Luci rolls his head around on Talmage's chest.

"_Naaah_, it's fine ... plus it looks kind of cool and sometimes I just stare at it like, _woah_, that happened, you know?" And Talmage ... guesses he does.

Luci opens his eyes and limply reaches a hand up, seeking the one Talmage has resting (as if anything about this situation was _relaxing_) on his own stomach. He lets it happen, watching as Luci positions his hand properly.

He traces a circle on the sensitive, inner part of his wrist.

"--'S here," Luci says softly. Talmage's heart races. He could have just _shown_ Talmage his own wrist. Instead, he ... 

Luci pauses his motions, as if thinking deeply about his next move, before starting them up again. There's no commentary - he's just rubbing little patterns on Talmage's skin. His grip in Luci's hair tightens before doubling down, light caresses turning into deep massages. He tries to control his breathing, but he's a mess. This isn't fair.

Talmage lets out a shaky laugh.

"Yeah?" he humors him, flexing the fingers trapped by Luci's grip. "And your neck?"

_Your_ neck, Talmage specifies. _Your_ neck, the neck that had _just_ been ravaged not twenty minutes ago. _Obviously_ the neck they would be discussing right now.

Luci slows his motions to think. Talmage notes that he apparently can't think _and_ act at the same time. It's adorable and infuriating.

"--S'like ... when you're-- you know when you're making out with someone, and they give you a hickey?" Talmage provides a forced noise of approval. "--'Xcept we didn't make out, but it kind of felt like we did? Or shoulda? You know? And it was like, a needle, but it was really hot and cold at the same time? You know?"

Luci babbles more, generally not making sense and ending most of his statements with "you know," which; _no_, Talmage does _not_ fucking know. Luci had also stopped rubbing Talmage's wrist.

"I meant where on your neck," Talmage eventually says with absolutely no ulterior motive.

And Luci stops talking, processes this for what seems like eons, and lifts his head. He looks up at Talmage, who stares down with his mouth gaped slightly. Then his eyes flick towards Talmage's neck.

"It was like ..." Luci drops Talmage's hand in favor of moving his own up and over, trying to get to Talmage head, but unable to due to their arrangement. Talmage lets out a snort. Luci bats him in the face.

Then he sits up.

Talmage's hand falls off Luci's head, returning to its cowardly hover. Supporting himself on one elbow, Luci brings himself closer to Talmage's face. Talmage doesn't breathe, but he finds himself instinctively tilting his head back. Not away, but ... an invitation. Luci takes it, splaying his fingers across the side of Talmage's neck. It's-- It's not sexy, but it's intimate, and Talmage is going to _explode_.

Luci lets his touch linger before curling his fingers in, hooking two of them like claws, and lightly prodding them against the skin of Talmage's neck. He blows a raspberry in time with the contact, which does a good job lightening the mood and reminding Talmage that Luci isn't quite himself.

"Right there," Luci says, matter-of-factly. Talmage can only nod, waiting for Luci to remove his fingers. Which he doesn't. Instead, he glides them further up and around - Talmage, suddenly conscious of his brand and how Luci may react to being up-close and personal with it, lets out a grunt and jerks his head slightly. But Luci doesn't follow the brand - his fingers skirt up Talmage's neck before reaching his pointed ear, playing with the lobe and then tracing its shell. Talmage briefly wonders if Gidley lets him do this, before shivering and clutching onto Luci's arm. 

He levels Luci with a look of utter desperation. Luci stares back stupidly.

Until, finally, _finally_, Luci picks up on what Talmage was really hoping he wouldn't, _and_ would. Hair brushing against Talmage's ear, Luci looks down at their bodies mingling atop their bedrolls. After _seconds_ of agonizing silence, he makes a delayed "oh" noise of discovery.

Talmage thought he could do this, but he's discovering very, very quickly that maybe, just maybe, he made a mistake.

"Um--" Luci starts, and Talmage wrenches a hand over his face. He's burning out of embarrassment and horniness and he's kind of hoping Luci will just laugh at him and then fall asleep.

"Sorry-- That's not-- I can--" Talmage starts to contort his lower half in a way that might make it seem like he has a little less of a boner, but Luci laughs. _There it is. _Laughter is fine, just don't be disgusted _don't be disgusted don't be--_

"You coulda just said something, man," Luci teases, and Talmage is filled with incomprehensible relief. 

Until Luci's hand lands on Talmage's bony hip, and his nerves are on fire all over again. Luci slowly shifts his focus from Talmage's very obvious hard-on to his panicked expression. 

"_Uh,_" Talmage grunts.

He notes how Luci can only hold eye contact for short periods of time before bashfully skirting away. Other than that, he looks calm and collected. Luci rubs a lazy circle into the fabric and Talmage shivers.

"I'm _really_ good at this," he says, as if he were talking about something as simple as his circus act. Which-- oh. _Oh_.

Luci wets his lips.

Talmage can't decide if it's easier to look at his soft mouth or his softer eyes.

"I mean-- That's-- Are you--" Is he _what? _Talmage should say no, right? Is he offering--_ Is he really?_ He should say no-- Holy shit-- "You don't-- _have_ to--"

Luci scoffs, _so_ close to his ear. Talmage's heart does a backflip.

"Suit yourself," he mumbles, removing his hand to drape it over Talmage's chest. "I give _great_ blowjobs." He cuddles further into Talmage's side, the tiefling too stunned to respond, and intertwines one of their legs together.

"Maybe some other time," Talmage eventually chokes out. "I'll hit you up later." _What?_ Who says that about sucking _dick?_ (_Talmage_ does, Talmage has _absolutely_ said that about sucking dick.)

When Luci doesn't respond, Talmage worries he misread the situation - maybe he had been joking, and Talmage implying _later_ was_ too weird _\- until he picks up on the rise and fall of Luci's sleepy breathing. He flexes his fingers, begging some of the tension to leave his body.

Talmage stares up at the ceiling of the caravan. 

"Holy fuck," he says to no one in particular.

**Author's Note:**

> bishop: oh, uh  
bishop: i’ll leave you guys alone  
talmage: no god please bishop hand me my blanket i’m so cold & i can’t move  
talmage: bishop please  
talmage: bishop cover up my boner


End file.
